Call for speedy distribution of small grains

THE Department of Crop and Livestock Production has called on farmers to expeditiously collect small grains seed under the Presidential Well-Wishers Input Scheme at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots in their area of jurisdiction in preparation for cropping.

Matabeleland North Crop and Livestock Product ion prov i n c i a l officer Mr Dumisani Nyoni said with the country set to experience erratic rains in the 2018/19 farming season farmers are being encouraged to crop small grains so as to realise potential yields.

Zimbabwe is expected to receive normal rains with a bias towards below normal throughout the 2018/19 season.

“All districts in Matabeleland (region) have been allocated sorghum and millet through the Presidential Input Scheme as part of efforts to encourage the production of small grains in light of the prevailing dry spell, which we are experiencing this season,” said Mr Nyoni.

He said the small grains seed has been delivered to GMB depots throughout the region.

“We are calling on farmers to take delivery of the free seed through their nearby GMB depots. Small grains are favourable in this part of the country as it has generally very low annual rainfall and predominately dry and due to their (small grains) nature of being drought resistant farmers are assured of better yields if they crop them,” said Mr Nyoni.

Small grains comprise of sorghum, pearl and finger millet and are ranked as second staple cereal crops after maize in Zimbabwe.

They are seen as the answer to food security in the country, especially at a time climate change threats on agriculture continue.